Here are some stories we're reading: Blizzard blasts the Midwest, Metallica announces plans to bring music festival to Detroit, ongoing 'fiscal cliff' talks, and more

Yesterday, we launched a new feature that you will find each day on our websites: stories that we are reading. Monday through Friday, one of our editorial staff members will be linking to state, national and world stories that they are reading that you might be interested in. Watch for it every day.

Here is what we've been reading today:

-As you’ve probably noticed outside, the upper Midwest is currently getting covered with snow from a blizzard. CNN reports that from Nebraska to southern Wisconsin, tens of thousands of people are without power and the storms are being blamed for a 30-car pileup Wednesday on an Iowa interstate.